Tropical Vine Growth and the Effects on Forest Succession: A Review of the Ecology and Management of Tropical Climbing Plants

The climbing habit has evolved independently in many plant taxa, offering vines the ability to compete with non-climbing vegetation for resources such as light, nutrients, and water. This review examines the structural and functional characteristics that allow climbing plants to (1) achieve widespread dispersal, (2) transport large amounts of water throughout vessels, (3) maintain high photosynthesis levels through a large leaf area to biomass ratio, (4) achieve rapid vertical and horizontal expansion by fast growth rates and various climbing mechanisms and (5) survive and recover from disturbances. Due to the competitive effects of vines on trees, management of vine growth is used to preserve tropical timber plantations, combat invasive weeds, and promote rainforest recovery. In order to sustainably manage the vines into the future, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms by which they can alter tropical forest succession and the impacts of various management techniques.